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paridhi987

When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

x^3 = 256k = 2^8k = 2^6*4k

k is of the form 2m^3
x ^3 = 2^8*2m^3 = 2^9m^3
x = 2^3m = 8m

Case 1: x = 8m = 256k + 8; 256k = 8(m-1); When m = 1; x = 8; The remainder when x is divided by 256 = 8
Case 2: x = 8m = 256k + 2; 256k = 8m - 2 = 2(4m-1): Not feasible since 4m-1 is odd
Case 3: x = 8m = 256k + 20; 256k = 8m - 20 = 4(2m-5); Not feasible since 2m-5 is odd

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­

IMO C­
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Kinshook
paridhi987

When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

x^3 = 256k = 2^8k = 2^6*4k

k is of the form 2m^3
x ^3 = 2^8*2m^3 = 2^9m^3
x = 2^3m = 8m

Case 1: x = 8m = 256k + 8; 256k = 8(m-1); When m = 1; x = 8; The remainder when x is divided by 256 = 8
Case 2: x = 8m = 256k + 2; 256k = 8m - 2 = 2(4m-1): Not feasible since 4m-1 is odd
Case 3: x = 8m = 256k + 20; 256k = 8m - 20 = 4(2m-5); Not feasible since 2m-5 is odd

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­

IMO C­
­Hi Kinshook , how do we get the step 'k is of the form 2m^3'?
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Kinshook
paridhi987

When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

x^3 = 256k = 2^8k = 2^6*4k

k is of the form 2m^3
x ^3 = 2^8*2m^3 = 2^9m^3
x = 2^3m = 8m

Case 1: x = 8m = 256k + 8; 256k = 8(m-1); When m = 1; x = 8; The remainder when x is divided by 256 = 8
Case 2: x = 8m = 256k + 2; 256k = 8m - 2 = 2(4m-1): Not feasible since 4m-1 is odd
Case 3: x = 8m = 256k + 20; 256k = 8m - 20 = 4(2m-5); Not feasible since 2m-5 is odd

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­

IMO C­
­
Why is it not feasible if 4m-1 2m-5 are odd
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paridhi987
­When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­
Given \(x^3\) = \(256n\)

Hence \(x\) must be a multiple of \(8\)

(I) 2 : For remainder to be \(2\)

Check multiples of \(8,16,24 \)...etc not possible to get remainder of \(2\) when divided by \(256\)

Reverse way : Any number such as \(258\) which gives a remainder of \(2\), when divided by \(256,\) will not be divisible \(256 \) when cubed.

\(\frac{(258)^3}{256} \)= not an integer. This falsifies the question

(II) For remainder to be \(8\)

If \(x = 8\) then \(\frac{8^3}{256} \)= integer, Also \(\frac{8}{256} \)= remainder \(8\). True.

(III) : For remainder to be \(20\)

Check multiples of \(8,16,24\) ...etc not possible to get remainder of \(20\) when divided by \(256\)

Reverse way : Any number such as \(276\) which gives a remainder of \(20,\) when divided by \(256\), will not be divisible by \(256\) when cubed.

\(\frac{(276)^3}{256} \)= not an integer.This falsifies the question

Ans C

Hope it helped.­
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x^3 = 256k = 2^8 * k where k is an integer

where 2^8 * k is a whole number. That means k MUST be of the form 2*m^3 where m is an integer

That means x^3 must be of the form:

x^3
= 2^8 * (k)
= 2^8 * (2*m^3)
= 2^9 * m^3

That means x must be of the form
2^3 * m or 8m

Now, for 8m, the values go like 0, 8, 16, 24 etc.

For any whole number a, the values of x can be also written as 256a + 8, 256a + 16, 256a + 24... each of which leaves a multiple of 8 as the remainder.

The only remainder that satisfies this condition in the three choices is 8.

Thus B.
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Hi.. I'm sorry but can someone explain why the "k" in 256k must be of the form 2m^3 and why not just m^3?
rish_dutton
x^3 = 256k = 2^8 * k where k is an integer

where 2^8 * k is a whole number. That means k MUST be of the form 2*m^3 where m is an integer

That means x^3 must be of the form:

x^3
= 2^8 * (k)
= 2^8 * (2*m^3)
= 2^9 * m^3

That means x must be of the form
2^3 * m or 8m

Now, for 8m, the values go like 0, 8, 16, 24 etc.

For any whole number a, the values of x can be also written as 256a + 8, 256a + 16, 256a + 24... each of which leaves a multiple of 8 as the remainder.

The only remainder that satisfies this condition in the three choices is 8.

Thus B.
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Sudhanwa23
Hi.. I'm sorry but can someone explain why the "k" in 256k must be of the form 2m^3 and why not just m^3?
rish_dutton
x^3 = 256k = 2^8 * k where k is an integer

where 2^8 * k is a whole number. That means k MUST be of the form 2*m^3 where m is an integer

That means x^3 must be of the form:

x^3
= 2^8 * (k)
= 2^8 * (2*m^3)
= 2^9 * m^3

That means x must be of the form
2^3 * m or 8m

Now, for 8m, the values go like 0, 8, 16, 24 etc.

For any whole number a, the values of x can be also written as 256a + 8, 256a + 16, 256a + 24... each of which leaves a multiple of 8 as the remainder.

The only remainder that satisfies this condition in the three choices is 8.

Thus B.

\(x^3 = 2^8 * k\)

The left-hand side is the cube of an integer, so the right-hand side must also be the cube of an integer. This means the power of 2 in 2^8 must be completed to a multiple of 3, which can be done by multiplying it by another 2. So, k must be 2 multiplied by the cube of an integer:

\(x^3 = 2^8 * k = 2^8 * (2 * m^3) = 2^9 * m^3 = (2^3 * m)^3 = (integer)^3\)

Hope it helps.
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Aw mann.. I gotta do better. Its clear now. Thank you so much!
Bunuel
Sudhanwa23
Hi.. I'm sorry but can someone explain why the "k" in 256k must be of the form 2m^3 and why not just m^3?
rish_dutton
x^3 = 256k = 2^8 * k where k is an integer

where 2^8 * k is a whole number. That means k MUST be of the form 2*m^3 where m is an integer

That means x^3 must be of the form:

x^3
= 2^8 * (k)
= 2^8 * (2*m^3)
= 2^9 * m^3

That means x must be of the form
2^3 * m or 8m

Now, for 8m, the values go like 0, 8, 16, 24 etc.

For any whole number a, the values of x can be also written as 256a + 8, 256a + 16, 256a + 24... each of which leaves a multiple of 8 as the remainder.

The only remainder that satisfies this condition in the three choices is 8.

Thus B.


\(x^3 = 2^8 * k\)

The left-hand side is the cube of an integer, so the right-hand side must also be the cube of an integer. This means the power of 2 in 2^8 must be completed to a multiple of 3, which can be done by multiplying it by another 2. So, k must be 2 multiplied by the cube of an integer:


\(x^3 = 2^8 * k = 2^8 * (2 * m^3) = 2^9 * m^3 = (2^3 * m)^3 = (integer)^3\)

Hope it helps.
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Simplest way to solve is by noticing that you need 2^3 as the factor of x so that 2^3*3 = 2^9 would give remainder as 0 when divided by 256 or 2^8.
Any multiple of 8 would thus give a remainder of 0.
Thus 8y/256 would give remainder 0, 8, 16 and so on..
1 and 3 are thus out.
2 is the only answer.
paridhi987
­When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­
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paridhi987
­When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­

x^3 is divisible by 256 = 2^8.
So x must be divisible by 2^3 = 8 at least. Hence we can make groups of 8 with nothing leftover from x.

When we divide x by 256, we will put together 32 groups of 8 to make a group of 256. Hence we may have no groups of 8 remaining, 1 group 8 remaining, 2 groups of 8 remaining etc till 31 groups of 8 remaining.
So the remainder will be 0 or 8 or 16 or 24 or 32 ... 248

Of the given options, only 8 is possible.

Answer (C)

Division and Remainders discussed here:


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It is given that \(x^3\) % 256 or \(2^8\) is zero.

So, \(x^3\)/\(2^8\) = k

=> \(((\frac{x}{2^2})^3)/4\) = k

=> x can be 8, 16 , 24 , 32 ...... , 256, 264 , .....

=> Remainder when x is divided by 256 would be 8, 16, 24 , ......, 248, 0, 8, 16 , 24 ........

=> Distinct set of remainders will always be 0, 8, 16, 24 , ......... , 248.

And only option II matches this and Hence answer is Option C.
paridhi987
­When integer x^3 is divided by 256, the remainder is 0. Which if the following could be the remainder when x is divided by 256?

I. 2
II. 8
III. 20

A. None
B. I only
C. II only
D. III only
E. I, II, and III­
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